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My next "shape up" project for my house is moving and re-sloping the concrete slab walkway that goes around my house.

I am wondering what tools would be handy for this job.

I'll need to get a pry bar of some sort to lift them up, is there a particular model of prybar that is good for lifting up cement slabs?

What can I do about preventing weeds and grass growing between the slabs?

Is there a particular angle that I should be aiming for? Or just away from the house?

Is there any other things I should keep in mind for safety?

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    Are we talking about the 1-2' paver stones or a poured sidewalk?
    – BMitch
    Jun 5, 2012 at 17:30
  • @BMitch I think they are about 18 x 24 x 2 inches. Not poured. Jun 5, 2012 at 19:19

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The best pry bar model that I know of for lifting concrete slabs is "big" (as in, the bigger, the better). Use a block of wood or something else that's large, to distribute the weight on the ground, for your pivot. You'll likely have to dig out one, if not two sides to pry and maneuver these blocks. Avoid putting too much pressure on a single point, since that can cause the paver to crack.

For the level, away from the house is good if this is draining against the foundation. You don't need much, but keep it consistent by using a level and measuring the rise over the run.

When resetting the paver, don't just build up one edge. That would leave an air gap in the middle that can result in cracking. Don't disturb the ground below the paver other than to remove any high spots, you don't want it to settle after you're done. Just add stone dust to make a level surface. Then replace the paver, wiggle it a little to work the stone dust into a tight contact, and replace any ground that you dug out from the sides.

For weeds, I'd ask over on the Gardening Stack Exchange, but they make lots of weed killers. You can also place a barrier in the ground, or just go with hand pulling. I've also seen suggestions to mix some cement and sand, brush it dry into all the cracks, and spray it with a light mist of water, but that would make any future repairs very difficult.

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You can mud-jack sinking concrete. A company comes out, drills a hole in the slab, then forces a slurry through it to raise the slab up. Google 'mud jacking' and you should find some options in your area.

For the cracks, use polymeric sand to fill them.

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